Denouement Part I
by E.J. Cady
Summary: Godric is curious about this stranger Eric, his progeny, finds imprisoned in a morgue on a diet of corpses. The tainted blood robs this dark skinned stray of her memory. Pam, Godric's second progeny, hates It disgusted by her smell at her initial arrival. And she isn't won over by the way the newcomer talks to herself incessantly.
1. Chapter 1

"Why didn't you kill it?" Pam walked around the sad excuse for a vampire.

On her knees on the a thin carpet for show more than comfort their guests black hair fell in her face. Her eyes were wild and she jerked up like she was constantly startled. Handcuffs made of silver held her, but she didn't look like much of a threat for vampires thousands of years old. On display for Godric's clan in a small hall Eric shared his find. While not impressive, she still was a mystery he thought deserved to be solved.

"Where did you find her?" Godric stood up from his throne to take a closer look at the troubled vampire.

Eric stood back in an unnecessary, but reverent move to give his maker more room. "Chained with silver feeding on corpses," he answered. "An interesting way to torture someone," Godric eyed him curiously then he added, "And cruel."

The stranger jerked again frowning speaking unintelligibly fast and low.

Godric returned his gaze to their guest. Trapped in the body of a young man, he was wise beyond the years his appearance implied. His perspective on life evolved since his second life. He wasn't as cruel as others in his species. He hoped to impart his wisdom to his family, but they were younger and weren't as world weary as their father. Blond hair and fair skin identical to the pallor of his clan, Godric knelt down to the dark skinned woman his progeny rescued. Her clothes were filthy and the stench of death hung on her as fiercely as it did her clothes. He grabbed her chin. She looked at him with wild unfocused eyes. The effects of feeding on the dead made her feral. Her fangs came out, but she didn't attack.

"Have you fed her?" Godric asked needlessly. He could tell Eric was too concerned about showing off his new stray, to properly care for her.

Pam and Eric purposefully stepped forward. Pam didn't like the idea of her brother bringing home strange newcomers. But, they were all entitled to their pets.

"Kill me," the stranger pleaded.

Godric let go of her chin. He kept his voice level inches away from the dark vampire. "What will you do with her Eric?"

The tall former Viking tilted his head in consternation. "I'm not sure." He had brought her specifically for Godric. He knew his maker's propensity for puzzles. He wasn't particularly interested in taking another pet, and he held no attachment for the stranger.

"I think you should kill it," Pam unimpressed refused to describe her as anything other than 'it'. Their small family was made up of attractive eccentrics and Pam claimed the title of bitch proudly. Often perceived as unfeeling, she accepted it because only her family would know how devote and warm she could be. They had earned the glimpse. This pathetic excuse for a vampire was stupid enough to get caught, be imprisoned for who knows how long in a morgue, and now she was talking to herself. What was the point of Eric letting her out if she was a prisoner in her head?

Godric didn't see either one of them giving this vampire the time and energy she needed to heal. Life was a precious thing and Godric was fond of puzzles. He was attracted to nuances and at his age they were rare. The amusement might be short, but he could stand a companion. He wondered how old she was.

"I will take her," he stated watching her lips move. Tilting his head he let it go. She retracted her fangs and let her head fall again. He nodded to Eric, "release her."

Hesitant about releasing the feral vampire, he knelt behind her using his leather gloves to unlock the silver cuffs. Pam crossed her arms rolling her eyes. She was thankful that Godric hadn't asked her to care for it. "Are we done?" she asked impatiently.

"You don't think it's interesting?" Eric closed the gap between him and his sister as they watched Godric help the stranger to her feet.

"What's it matter when daddy does," Pam answered dismissively.

Pam shrugged.

"At least he has something to play with," Eric stated. He was worried for his maker. He disappeared for months at a time in his private wing of the estate. But, most times he left the grounds without a word, silently expecting his progenies to handle the responsibilities for the master of the house. Eric didn't mind it he welcomed it more than his sister, who took pleasure in pursuing personal gain. It didn't mean she couldn't be relied on when it came to her family, so just knew Eric, as Godric's first progeny, loved to show his undying loyalty. When Godric trusted him to care after the estate he was pleased. But, now he thought better of it. Too long in solitude wasn't healthy. His maker rarely discussed philosophy with him anymore or challenged his views on current events in the political world of vampires. He missed his maker and hoped that he would at least find himself again with this new pet.

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An erotic mosaic hung over the large marble tub. Its size was large enough to fit over ten bodies. One of their houseguests, a Russian vampire, bathed in the warm blood of young children. Needless to say the room stank for months. Pam the most offended of all by the smell threw the vampire, and his entourage out hours before the sun would rise. Her legendary temper was boasted and even in exaggeration it still wouldn't do her justice. Godric thought fondly of the hot tempered of his family. He found her on the altar to be slaughtered by a polytheistic cult he and Eric happened upon.

Humans and their traditions, he understood the need for comfort when life was so short. And with so many things to do to feel accomplished so many things to explain, why not sum it all up with to an omniscient being or two.

His nose drew in the scent of jasmine. He chose it specifically because it reminded him of his time in Egypt. Surrounded by exotic dark skinned women, proud of their color he admired them as openly as they openly wished admiration. The white of the suds contrasted with her chocolate skin. He thought what a striking picture she would make.

"What is your name?" Godric asked certain she wouldn't know it. Her diet ruined her mind. Though, it didn't hurt to broach conversation with a question.

The stranger sat in the bath the water stained by the dirt and blood his human scrubbed off. He watched crossing his arms eying her every interaction with his maid and with a lazy quality. It would take him less than seconds to reach the stranger if she behaved out of line. The stranger didn't respond to anything except the voices in her head that continued to plague her, from how often and violently she jerked. The vampire watched the human hungrily, but she made no move to bite her. Godric considered this odd. He chose this human specifically. Lorelei didn't mind being roughly handled. She welcomed it. She was a favorite of Pam's and Eric's when they were drunk in a cruel stupor.

The stranger shifted in the water. Her body moved from side to side trained on the pulse point. Though, the nameless vampire still made no move to drink her, it was extremely odd considering how hungry she must be. Corpses were as bitter as they were unhealthy. Her mind obviously altered wouldn't be well until she drank from a living well.

The girl on her knees damp turned to Godric unsure of what to do next now that she was finished. She was use to vampires taking what they wanted. She found it odd that this vampire, Godric had warned her beforehand of the presumed ferocity of her appetite, wouldn't want to taste her. Many including the master of the house, when he indulged in blood found her delicious.

Godric nodded his head in encouragement.

The helper tilted her head pulling her hair to the side. The troubled vampire sniffed. Her eyes remained unfocused until the smell of blood gave her clarity its denial robbed her of. She leaned forward, but stopped. She was at war with her hunger.

"It is clear you are hungry," Godric pointed out her struggle not understanding it. He sensed she was young. A few years shy of being a hundred. But, surely she hadn't lived as long as he sensed denying her most primal urge to eat.

She looked at him for the first time. Not looking through him or around him, but seeing him as one of her kind.

"Eat," he stood ready to force her if need be.

She turned her head in the other direction. Her mumblings became louder and more erratic. Godric stepped forward collecting the anxious human. He guided her out.

"I want to be left alone. Leave me alone," the dark skinned woman rocked. She chewed her cheek until her mouth filled with her own blood.

Assuming she meant him he went outside. He charged the helper to find and relay a message for Pam. He trusted her with the task of finding her clothing. With a cursory look the blond knew size and weight and this contribution involved what she loved, shopping. He sat on the chair by a fire. He felt the heat, but he didn't need it. The fire danced over the thing logs unmoving and resigned to their purpose to burn.

"What demons torment you?" he asked no one in particular.

Sitting in white suds and clear bubbles the stranger looked at the door. Human ears wouldn't have heard Godric's question. The stranger's perked. They thought she was unaware, but she heard things. She heard everything—even ghosts.

"I ain't no fucking demon," she heard her ghost.

"Leave me alone. Leave me the fuck alone."

"Believe me bitch if I could I would."

"You're dead stay dead and leave me alone!" she hissed her movement the white foam hung on her chin.

Lafayette looked over his cousin with weary eyes. There was only so much he could do to keep her sane. Rotten blood didn't help her vulnerable psyche. For a while, with his help, she controlled her appetite locked away in the morgue. But she was getting hungry—too hungry to hear him to go along with his reason when it was so much easier to submit to a ravenous haze. She drank all thirty seven bodies dry. And when they were gone thirty seven more took their place. It was sick. He watched her lose herself becoming crazier feeding and arguing with him. After three months she forgot his name. After six more months she'd convinced herself he was a demon. Two years trapped in a morgue fed dead bodies by faceless underlings, enabling a torture they knew nothing about.

"Tara baby," he crouched bringing his hand to her head.

She shivered from fear.

"If you won't leave me alone then kill me," uncertain eyes trailed over the dark skinned man. He looked at her with sympathetic eyes, but she knew it was a lie. He wanted her to trust him and then he would hurt her again. He reminded her of something she didn't want to remember. She knew the sensation of worry and rage and other emotions too far for her reach. They filled her whenever she saw his face. Whenever he talked to her calling her by this name Tara, she didn't know why he called her that. She didn't trust it and refused to acknowledge it was her name. The demon wanted her to answer to it, but she didn't. She had no name. She would never have a name as far as she was concerned.

"You want to get rid of me. You eat." He stated.

Interested eyes glared at him with distrust.

"You not strong enough to make me go away. You won't be til you eat."

The prospective of eating better hadn't crossed her mind to rid herself of her demon. Distrust filled her and she was worried that this was a trick. This demon determined to torment her why would he offer advice to get rid of him?

"Fuck you," she croaked. "Sitting on a seat of dead bodies you gave me!"

Lafayette shook his head.

"Fucking fool," his voice darkened. "Sit here and starve there ain't no more dead bodies to eat. Suck a human dry—get fucking better!"

His cousin shook her head. "There's a nail in my head."

Lafayette stepped back. He was pushing too hard, a year watching her lose her mind her sentences became strange when she got angry. Short of opening some one's vein for her and forcing the blood on her lips she wouldn't eat otherwise.

It was a lie, but he could live with it, or rather exist with it. Technically he wasn't living. The uncomplicated term was ghost. Forced into the afterlife by his mother, in her wisdom the witch decided to use his soul to help guide Tara through her eternal life. He remembered the day he found her:

_Tara was outside their home. The outside light was busted. When the door opened letting the yellow bulb illuminate their guest she was dirty and bloody and asking for their help. Without a word Lafayette opened the door, but Tara didn't make a move in. _

"_You gotta invite me bitch," she croaked the words. They were as painful to say and see the reaction on her cousin's face as it folded and bent with confusion, fear, horror, and understanding._

_This would have been funny if she wasn't a fucking vampire he remembered hearing her say after they got over the shock._

"_What the fuck Tara?" he closed the screen door. Tara startled from the slam stepped back in the shadows, feeling safer there. But, Lafayette's fear she could smell it. His heart pumping and her eyes traced the vein on his neck. He covered the hand self consciously and Tara forced her eyes to the ground._

"_I just ate," the words were drenched in shame. Ashamed she'd just been caught eliciting fear and for the actions that had her running to the only family she had left. They would hear it through the grapevine soon enough, "I killed mama."_

"_I know you just didn't share that fucked up shit to me." _

"_I was hungry."_

"_Well shit that ain't getting you up in here."_

"_I just ate Lafayette," she countered like that was guarantee enough she wouldn't eat him._

"_And your ass is notorious for getting up in the middle of the fucking night for a fucking snack. I ain't bragging. But I am too damn tasty not to be on someone's menu. I sure hell don't want it to be yours." He didn't slam the door in her face like he wanted to, like she expected him to. Instead he paced in front of the screen door holding his hand over his mouth in thought._

_When her aunt arrived Lafayette warned her, but Tara had already given her wide berth to get in her house safely. She retold the story about eating her mother. Her only excuse was the hunger and her mother's proximity. She hadn't tasted particularly delicious, but when Tara had the blood inside her it wasn't like she could stop. Lafayette's mother had always been more understanding of the supernatural than he was. She was a witch and subscribed to every supernatural expectation. She let Tara in hiding her in the bathroom for the night. In the day she hadn't shared much what she planned on doing. Lafayette barely slept a wink for the rest of the night but when the sun came out he managed to sleep more soundly making sure his bedroom blinds were up filling up the room with plenty of life. It was an awkward way to sleep, but he managed._

_She killed for a second and final time when her aunt fed her one of her customers, who had a reputation for keeping company with vampires. The vampire, who turned Tara she hadn't seen before or after her attack. The few that she knew hung around her small town she didn't trust. They were stronger and faster and she was basically on her own. With little experience about these types of things the witch did the only thing that made sense at the time knowing the power of family was a strong bond she exercised the spell bonding them together. _

From his mother's point of view he always assumed it saddened his mother to think of her niece damned and alone. And in a morbidly sentimental way Lafayette's mother meant well. Though, he would have preferred to be asked before she knocked him unconscious and bound to Tara. Now he was an aberration for only his cousin to see. For 60 years his mother's magic bound them together. The cousins were stuck with each other. But, Tara didn't remember their history sordid and otherwise. So the lie didn't bother him when the truth would eventually come out. And the truth, for all the good it would do, welcomed more problems than he wanted to entertain. Now he needed to get his cousin to eat. Her memory could come later.

"Eat!"

"I ain't hungry,"

Her rocking became harder as water spilled onto the floor.

"The most stubborn ass—"

"Seat of dead bodies. Fireflies in the winter don't fly that high."

"You hungry and you gonna eat. I'll make you," he crouched a few feet away from her where Godric had sat.

Tara shook her head violently, knowing she wouldn't be able to withstand the pull of this demon. Sometimes he took her over. Sometimes he made her do things she didn't want to do. He wanted her to eat the living. She knew it would taste good from a memory, but good things weren't as they seemed, she wasn't sure if it was the same memory. Whatever memory it was that warned her she learned about good things the hard way. This demon wanted to ruin her—ruin her like winter ruins fireflies in flight.

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Pam waltzed in the spare room her maker designated for the guest she referred to as 'it'. The wardrobe she'd chosen hung over her forearm. On the other side of the room Godric looked into the fire with a lost expression. Eric's warning rang in her ears as she studied his posture. Still and unmoving like a statue, a living statue. When they met he owned the quiet reserve he was infamous for now. It was too stale for her tastes, but her maker pulled it off. After thousands of years he had become bored with his power. He didn't like the games Eric and she played and he was no longer amused to watch them as they played them.

He angled his head toward the open door of the bathroom. She followed his gaze. Nude and uncaring the young vampire stepped out wet her still in her face. Pam quirked her eyebrows, for a moment she considered calling It by another name of pure compliment, but she disregarded the thought. Considering her maker's low attention span of late, this amusement would be a temporary addition in their home.

"Well well _It_ just got more interesting," she smiled at the view.

Godric stood.

"I'm hungry," the dark skinned woman offered.

"Pam would you be so kind," he held his hand out for the clothing. The blond hesitated before relieving herself of her textile cargo.

"Pity," she murmured to herself before she went to find something tasty for It to eat.

"Do you have a name?"

"You're names Tara," Lafayette offered from behind her.

She lowered her head, "that's not my name," she growled.

Godric's disinterested gaze fell as she continued to talk with an entity she could only see.

"What the fuck is so bad about your name?"

"It's not my fucking name!" she raised her voice. "Stop calling me that."

"What would you like to be called?" Godric asked handing her the clothes Pam left.

Unfocused eyes trailed over him. Then she grabbed the clothes throwing them on in jerky motions. She ignored his question speeding toward the woman who bathed her earlier. Bending her neck she sank her teeth in and drank. She tasted as delicious as she smelled. This was the first time in a very long time she had a hint of something sweet. It was intoxicating—too intoxicating to stop.

Godric walked as if he were taking a sedate stroll monitoring how fast and how much she drank. He didn't want his maid drained. She was loyal and that was hard to come by. He wondered what to call this stranger who talked to herself, and then he smelled the jasmine replacing the stench of that she came to his estate with. It came to him his time an Egypt a beautiful colorful culture with equally beautiful and colorful people.

"Bast," she stroked her hair as it came up. She let the human fall. There was much to teach her, but first she needed to learn her new name if she couldn't remember her old one. "Bast," he repeated.

Wild eyes turned to him. She drank sloppily with blood splattered around her mouth reaching as far as her cheek.

"That is what I will call you, Bast. It's a good name. It belonged to an Egyptian this world now considers a goddess. She was a protector like you. You may not know it now, but you will." His years and his studies gave him the ability to focus on the character of a stranger or someone he knew. In its rawest form human's called this intuition, but it was just a precursor to an art Godric happened upon and perfected. He sensed Bast was a protector. He would do well to keep her close and there still was the mystery of her origins.

Lafayette in Tara's body could feel her fighting him. But, they were apart of each other so there was little she could do when he took over. He didn't like robbing her of her free will, but she was obstinate and unconcerned about her health. Lafayette nodded his head acknowledging the name Godric gave to his cousin. It was a peculiar name; it sounded old which made it fitting that an old vampire would give think of it. The sooner she got better, the sooner she could remember and they could leave the den of strange vampire's he didn't all together trust.

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The real world calls so I won't be updating as frequently as I use to. I'll try to make the story decent enough so your patience will not be in vain.


	2. Chapter 2

Catapulted out of his cousin he sucked in air he didn't breathe in. Even after all this time he still indulged his living reflexes. Lafayette felt her glare. And when he turned he knew he had given her even more reason not to trust him. Never mind that she felt better. Rage was easier to hold onto and her pride, in this condition especially, was too strong for her to admit he had done something to help her. Her food lay at her feet. The blond vampire much older than she could imagine, watched her with interest.

"Don't ever do that again," she growled knowing that she couldn't stop the demon if she wanted to. The threat made her feel in control a reassurance she need more now having been no more able than a vessel to his will.

Godric turned to the space where she directed her comment. He didn't see anything. But, he was wise enough not to ignore that something could be there. He'd lived too long to be narrow minded when it came to beings supernatural, visible or not.

"That will be all Lorelei," he, with no effort at all, picked the maid up to her feet. She steadied herself on the wall where he moved her. Nodding her thanks she with both hands firmly on the walls she gave this strange vampire one last look and then departed.

The dark stranger walked around the room touching things. Smelling things, then she stopped at the first crouching in front of it in thought, before she made the decision to put her right hand in there while left rested on a bent knee.

"It burns," she stated, but she didn't pull her hand away. She pulled it out, "then it heals," she watched at the charred flesh return to the youthful chocolate.

She had little understanding of who she was outside of the baser instincts she relied on in her prison. Hunger, anger, and fear—she knew better than these strange walls, and the reflection she glimpsed on a reflective surface she inspected. Vampire didn't mean anything to her, but she knew demon. Demon was a word long engrained in her head, from a time that was just as lost to her as her history as a vampire.

Lafayette cringed whenever she used it. She was the spitting image of her mother, his aunt, when threw the word around. If she was reverting to the strongest of her memories, it made sense that Lettie Mae would be the image she emulates, since she made the strongest impression. He remembered when they were kids and Tara barely six earned the named demon. Lettie Mae would later laugh it off, but even Lafayette, as innocent and young as he had been knew his aunt was evil.

"How old are you?" Godric, having already assumed her age, asked because it was something to discuss. He knew what it was like to lose oneself in the fire and never want to return to the present. But, like he dragged himself to a state of awareness he did the same for her.

Wild eyes followed the speed of the flames as they jumped up one after the other wanting to do more damage than the next to burn the motionless wood. "Old enough to live longer dead than alive," she stated. Lafayette sat on the bed, "don't get comfortable," she glared at the bed. Godric watched her gaze and found more empty space.

"I don't think you should trust him," Lafayette stated.

The vampire Godric named Bast smiled crookedly at the bed then swiveled still crouched to Godric, "my demon don't trust you. That means he wants me to trust you. I don't trust my demon or you," then her eyes lowered scanning the invisible list of things she didn't trust.

"What do you trust?" Godric asked unmoving.

"Fireflies," she snorted eyes grew wide with excitement as if she saw one. "Ugly but trustworthy," she stated.

Godric resigned to the reality she wasn't well enough to hold a coherent conversation he could understand. But, he did deduce that fireflies, rather obscurely had earned her interest and her trust. It was a key to her past, that that could wait until they both rested. He watched her wobble from her crouched position by the fire. She had been through a lot; she needed rest after a good meal.

"You going to watch me like the demon," she jerked her head in the direction of the bed.

The older vampire knew he wouldn't see anything so he didn't look.

"I want to know who you are. Outside of that I expect nothing." He turned to leave shutting the door behind him leaving her to her musings.

A vampire with no memory has little understanding of what they are capable of. They were a dangerous sort to come by, but it wasn't unheard of. He sought Eric out to find out the details of her imprisonment. Every fact he knew brought him closer to ruining this one interest, but there was an uneasy part of him that called for urgency.

He found his first born in his personal chambers toying with one of the exotic pets he procured from Asia. She had beautiful caramel skin. He entered the chamber without announcing himself. Lazily pulling himself away from his toy, he allowed her to cover herself while he stood to acknowledge his maker. The lean line of his body most found attractive was considerably pale. Godric appreciated the beauty of his childe.

As was his habit the tall Viking bowed his head standing at angle to his maker, "Godric," he greeted. "Is something wrong?"

Godric the smaller of the two gave his progeny a reassuring smile. Always the warrior ready to fiercely protect what mattered most to him.

"Tell me about the conditions in which you found her."

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The night was routine. Nothing out of the ordinary had caught Eric's eye. He didn't expect much. The vagrants that asked for his families help on a mystery stench coming from a morgue earned them a sardonic comment from Pam. They went on to explain it was abandoned. In light of recent treaties in the process of being negotiated Godric wanted his territory in order. He didn't like surprises and his progenies by extension hated them, but Eric decided to take up the task alone. If there was trouble it would be sensed and his family would act accordingly. There was no need for more than one vampire to waste their time, if it indeed turned out to be a waste.

Eric stood outside the brick building. He didn't understand the awful stink. He went inside curious now frowning as it got stronger when he ventured further in the space. There were offices and doors normally locked for security, all opened and clearly abandoned. The perfect home for the same vagrants freed by their makers and left to survive on whatever they could, where they could find it. He sniffed smelling another vampire. His fangs came out at the ready for a possible threat. Though, he took very little precaution expecting to find no more threat, than the vampire vagrants that wondered why their supply of humans was dwindling. They suspected competition. Godric liked to keep the peace. He sought it like an unattainable treasure. And Eric sought his approval, it was the only reason he was there.

Descending stone steps he found the door of the room where they kept the bodies. There was an unusually strong scent of death. The aroma assaulted him when he ripped the door open. Eric stepped inside showing more caution now than when arrived. He found of the source of the smell when he stepped over a carpet of bodies. Inspecting every corner he stopped in the right where the containers where the bodies were held. Passed a table he noticed the filthy form crouched in the shadows as if it could hide her.

"Hello."

He stepped closer.

She skittered back in response, but she could only go so far with wall. She kept her eyes behind her back. He drew his weapon when she didn't respond to his greeting.

When he moved closer he could see why. She was bound with silver.

"Who did this to you?"

His question went unanswered as she tried to duck away from his imploring gaze. She ducked away as if she had secrets she wanted to keep, and if he looked at her clearly he would see them. She rambled quietly when he did a mental count of the bodies on the floor.

"Kill me," he heard her say.

When he turned to her she wasn't looking at him. She focused, as much as it could be called focus, on another corner of the room. Eric looked, but saw nothing. She was bound so she couldn't do this on her own. And while they all stank, he moved to a group that hadn't been dead long, they still reeked, but not as bad as their decomposing company. He picked it up by the shoulder. He body and the head hung in the same direction limp. All it took was one whiff. Satisfied he threw it down as if he'd been burned.

Blood has a different smell after death. It tickles the nostrils with a putrid smell that sickens most vampires' ruining their appetite. Considering this must be her only food supply, she ate to survive in this lacking existence. Someone was feeding her these corpses. He smiled at the cruel torture, admiring the creativity in it. It was kind of poetic if he let himself dwell on it long. He supposed they were going to use the cremation machine he glimpsed in the back to dispose of the mess, but obviously someone wasn't picking up after themselves.

The door he ripped off wouldn't hold her when he left. And her mind was gone. She was of no use to herself or anyone else. Pam would vote he kill it. Godric wasn't as bloodthirsty and would hope that Eric evolved from his baser instinct. So he grabbed her. Dragging her against her disoriented will, from the prison she had come to know as home.

Godric turned when Eric finished. He didn't offer another word content to let his progeny watch him leave with the question in his eyes. Eric, on his part regarded his father's actions with some concern, but nothing to create an inquisition over. He felt the nails of his toy running along his back. She knew to stay away and when to ask for more. He liked that, he might even remember her name.

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"Are you fucktarded?"

The troubled vampire turned her head to the new sound. Bast slept for a while, but her mind wouldn't rest the entire day. She explored the estate discovering the windows in the hallways, the study, and every room she could get into, effectively shut out the light with metal sheet covers. All the exits were locked and the people she passed watched her oddly, but never answered he questions. She didn't realize they didn't understand her. And while she spoke English her words came out like riddles to people who weren't privy to the puzzle of her mind.

"Looking for fireflies," turning fully to Pam.

"It is fucktarded."

"Do you where they are?"

"Out in the sun," Pam tilted her head with a lazy drawl. "You want to go out there and play?" she teased playing with the idea of showing It a way out. It was obvious It was a curious thing. But she wouldn't touch her father's amusement, not yet anyway. When he got bored of it she would.

"The sun," Bast held onto it like something she almost remembered.

"The bright yellow ball in the sky," Lafayette helped. He stood behind Pam ready to move if this bitch tried anything.

"Will I like it?"

The question was too innocent for the older vampire to ignore. Some would call her a bully, and opportunist, a downright rotten individual. But she accepted them all because it made her a feared and memorable vampire. Eric already stole the limelight as being the wise progeny. Why compete when she could invent her own category and excel in it. Godric, might not approve of all her amusements, but he denied her nothing and for that she could say that she was spoiled.

"It'll be an experience you won't forget," Pam admitted evilly.

"Don't listen to this bitch Tara."

"My name is Bast," the dark vampire accepted the name to spite the name this demon called her.

"It has a name," Pam didn't like it—she had already become attached to the moniker she chose for It.

"Show me this sun." She wanted fireflies unconcerned about the presumed danger of meeting the sun might bring.

While Pam reasoned, if she was going to be this gullible she might as well see how far she could take this. "Follow me," she stated her arms crossed and she started down the second hallway to the left. Bast looked at the flickering candles as they passed them.

"I see you're ass is determined not listen to me," Lafayette fell in step with the blond he was beginning to dislike, a lot. "I know you ain't thinking with much of anything up there," he stated.

"Seat of dead bodies. Fireflies in the winter don't fly that high," she glared at Lafayette.

Pam stopped walking. She turned to It with ice blue eyes. "Godric might think this rain man shit is cute. I don't. You're one drawer short of a whole lot of underwear and I don't like it." She stepped closer lowering her voice, "I don't like you." She used her superior strength throwing Bast against the wall avoiding a hanging tapestry of her family's history.

She trained her eyes on It. She waited for a response. To discern any advantageous emotion in her pale brown eyes, denoting she was still under the influence of her dead diet. Anger, fear, anything, but she was too far gone and Pam thought herself a fool for expecting more. She felt pain that at least was clearly shown.

"Fireflies," she croaked through Pam's merciless grip.

"Yea yea yea fireflies," she jerked her head down the corridor. She started in the direction they had come. "Fireflies, the sun, a very short fucking existence are all straight ahead and the third door to the left." Her voice echoed through the corridor as she increased the space between them. Bast listened to the footsteps until she couldn't hear them anymore. If she had half a mind to thank her she would have said it, but unfortunately she had no mind at all to conjure and ounce of courtesy.

"You chasing something ain't there Tara."

"Bast," she corrected. Her demon would call her name he couldn't control her by.

She hated the name Tara, it made her skin crawl. She felt the name brought bad things with it, and she wanted no part in anymore bad things. She knew the four walls and dead bodies and vomiting up blood. She knew that pain for a long time and she would remember it for even longer. She didn't want the name he called her by.

"Bast," she repeated proudly. She would love this name she knew. The ring of it didn't invite the foreboding _Tara_ did. She drew her head up as if she were balancing an invisible object on her nose.

Lafayette shook his head. He might as well be trying to reason with a child. Their surroundings were becoming less exotic. Decorations were replaced by stone wall plain and gray and stinking of torture and evil. Tara or Bast whatever she wanted to call herself, walked like she was marching toward a bright light that would overwhelm her in her hope and love. Lafayette knew it was the opposite. She would hate what she found and as adamantly as he tried to dissuade her he couldn't.

Pam had fed her all the encouragement she needed to find fireflies and the sun indirectly.

"Stop Bast," the demon used the name. She studied her feelings and she was fine. The control—the emotions that assaulted her whenever he called her Tara, weren't there to bend her will and make her want to end her life.

"No."

"You're not going to like the sun."

"I don't care about the sun."

"Well you're going to get a shitload of it if you keep fucking around with fireflies."

"Leave," her pace sped up.

Lafayette continued in his sedate pace. She wasn't going anywhere he couldn't go. "Tara!"

She ran now. Pam's direction brought her to the door. She smiled in anticipation and then her smile folding into wary consternation. She paced in front of it. She didn't want to admit what she was waiting for, but when he arrived he wasn't surprised she hadn't walked in yet.

"Damn you," she growled. Her palm lay flat on its surface.

"We both fucked now. You ain't got your mind. And I ain't got you."

She hated when he talked about things she didn't understand. She was frustrated because she was misunderstood. She grabbed the handle. Lafayette looked warily. He thought about jumping in and stopping her, but then he thought maybe this was for the best. Maybe if she felt the sun warm and burning, then it would help him get the real Tara back. Not this fucking Bast, this fantasy someone made for her. Otherwise he didn't see her understanding what she was without a rude awakening.

The door groaned opened and the rays of the sun shined through. He maneuvered his hand and fingers in the sun as he heard her look around the desolate place that stunk of torture. She knew that smell well.

"No fireflies," she looked up at the light, "just sun."

Lafayette nodded, "just sun." Her mind was lost and everything she knew about where she had come, and what she could do was gone. A distant memory time would eventually recover. He looked around the dungeon, chains of silver, dried blood and a healthy amount of sunlight to wash over their guest. A perfect hell for whoever was lucky enough to reside as an enemy of the estate.


	3. Chapter 3

Hafferden Manor belonged to a Dutch countess in 1810. The estate housed over a hundred rooms. The staff consisted of forty three servants including kitchen staff and grounds keepers. The countess inherited the house from her father, but through several misfortunes orchestrated by jealous relatives she thought the house cursed. So when she received three striking visitors in visage and fashion, who wanted to buy her home, she didn't dwell on the time of night they were inclined to do business. The estate had been a wonder as a child, but since inheriting it too many bad things happened since she bought it.

A little over two hundred years was a long time, in the family's case, to settle in one place. Though, Godric liked it. Even his progenies, who were free to go wherever they pleased, stayed with him. They stayed to help him, to protect him and their blood line because it was a dangerous time for lone vampires. Vampires discarded by their makers were guaranteed a short eternal life. Now it was made worse by fractions that wanted to kill them all. It felt the like the beginnings of a war to Godric. The sensation mirrored the cool chill that sneaks up ones spine, when a cold draft rushes in. It was important to make the right alliances and ensure peace with houses with the strength to deal with war. That thinking alone secured Eric and Pam's hands for marriage to neighboring homes.

Godric called both his progenies in the same room Eric introduced Bast. It was a large room a trophy room for human's to mount the head of their kill or display treasures in glass cases. For now the room was empty. The older vampire saw no need to collect and presumably his progenies shared the same inclination.

Strolling in with Pam at his side they were smiling evilly at something when Godric cleared his throat. He just put the phone down and his head hung as he sat on the corner of the desk.

"What's wrong?" Eric read the defeatist posture.

Godric didn't answer for long moments. It even made Pam's carefree soul wonder. "Godric," she ventured with the same concern shining in Eric's eyes.

He held his hand up to quiet them both. "We must prepare the house for guests. Russell Edgington will be here with his lover and eight of his progenies."

Eric was grateful that was the extent of the bad news, even though the number of progenies alarmed him. Then again Russell wasn't an ordinary vampire. He had a reputation due to his ruthlessness he'd made many enemies over the centuries it was important to build a strong house, if only to protect him from the true death. Pam wasn't as quick to believe that the arrival of Russell gave her maker the slumped shoulders. He looked like weight of the world rested there.

"I have brought you two up well have I not?" he asked.

Eric eager to reassure stepped closer, his voice barely above a whispered always lowered in respect, "we love you because you have loved us." He turned to Pam to agree with him. She repeated his statement still waiting for more, but it never came.

"Tell the servants to prepare the home Eric," Godric ordered.

"What's really wrong?" Pam stepped forward. She and her maker hadn't moved since Eric went off to share the news with the humans.

Godric finally looked up for the first time since she walked in. He looked very tired and a wash of worry filled her as she examined her father. She stepped forward, the only gesture she would stay as long as needed for an answer. Godric held out his hand and Pam rushed to his side bending her head as he caressed the side of her right cheek. His hands reaching to the back of her neck to tilt her head. He placed a kiss on her forehead.

"I have spoiled you," he made an observation that didn't insult her. Her curiosity skyrocketed, Godric sounded too somber to be well.

"What aren't you telling us?"

"I have made arrangements," he whispered. It was important for her to meet his gaze. He wanted to see—he needed to see her when he told her, "for marriage."

She stepped back. Her head rising quickly blue eyes were burning with rage. She was angry for the things he hadn't said yet. She anticipated them warranting her rage. He was unhappy with his decision, but she could see even though it was a heavy weight he carried it like a duty he couldn't discard. "Russell?" she glared it was important that it not be him. She took relief in the news that it wasn't when Godric shook his head.

"A progeny of Russell's," he corrected.

Pam held her hands on her hips. She needed to anchor herself. This wasn't fucking happening. And yet Godric still talked about Russell and his visit.

"You must be on your best behavior."

"Why isn't Eric getting married?" she asked petulantly.

"Don't think Eric is free of responsibilities. I have been making delicate alliances to ensure a marriage for him as well."

Pam was reaching for something anything to dissuade her maker from his decision. No defense came seemed viable enough, but it was better than standing here helplessly. He couldn't think she would accept this blindly. Marriage wasn't a death wish as she would call it, but the freedom of belonging to one house Godric's house would be interrupted by invaders. Vampires didn't do family well their alliances through marriage were rare, because of how often it ended up in war. The maker thought long and hard, especially when he locked himself away, about the choice to ally with Russell. He was a beast with a large impressive house and a reputation that ensured Pam's safety in many circles that feared the house.

"You'll make me?" Pam asked in daring. She was intent on rebelling. She wouldn't give in so easily, it wasn't her way.

"I won't make you. I know you and you will do what's best for your family," Godric replied without anger at her audacity to speak of refusing his order. "He will bring eight of his progenies with him out of the twenty he's made. He assures me they are the best his line has to offer. I told him I would accept no less."

"This is the fucking twenty first century. Vampires don't need to do this kind of shit."

"They do," Godric stood from his perch. "If they didn't we wouldn't be here now." He didn't raise his voice, but there was enough command in his posture to understand, if she continued to threaten to refuse this conversation wouldn't end as one.

Pam clenched her jaw keeping her mouth shut.

"I trust you will make yourself presentable for when they arrive," he stated then dismissed her. He watched her stand near to a minute. She had hoped this was a joke or that in the least she could change his mind. Though, he knew life wouldn't be kind for vampires soon. They needed to stick together. The wolves were uniting. Supernatural beings were coming together under one banner to ruin the vampires and if not completely eradicate them from the world; they were intent on lowering their numbers to near extinction. This was unacceptable because it threatened his progenies.

He thought only of them and their survival. They were of his blood and the only two that he thought worthy to make. Some vampires were selective and then there were those that weren't so selective. He stayed away from the latter category. Godric might disapprove of Russell as a vampire in general, but he was an old and impressive beast. He thought too highly of his line to allow anyone unsubstantial to share the blood that flowed through him. There would be a good match for Pam in the eight she had to choose from.

They would be intelligent, agile, and ruthless. He didn't worry about Pam when it came to taking care of herself. She could deal with any husband or wife that came from Russell's line. He chose Pam specifically for Edgington's family. It wasn't that he didn't trust Eric to be capable. Though, Pam had a fire. A fierceness that contrasted with Eric's cool demeanor, Russell already made an appreciative statement or two about his daughter. Pam made the most logical choice for to take charge of the alliance with Edgington.

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Bast looked at the sun. Her hand going in and out, it bothered her. She didn't voice the trepidation she felt, Lafayette could see it—he felt it.

"Your head too fucked up to understand how important you are," he said. Sure she wouldn't interrupt he continued, "your whole human life you were fucking drifting like wood in a big fucking ocean, you were so lost. When that vampire turned you it opened you, hell us, to a whole new world. You got purpose T…Bast you just gotta remember it and fucking soon."

Bast looked up from her seat on the ground. "Should I be dead or dying?" she asked.

"You dead."

She drew up using the wall to keep her upright as she stood to her full height. "I can't feel the sun," she stated, "and fireflies?" she turned to Lafayette. For some reason he didn't seem as menacing has he did moments before. It was so long, she felt she needed to get up and out into the sun.

"You can't," Lafayette stated killing her thoughts of running into the sun, just to see it.

"I can." She turned. Clearly she could escape into the sun and the clouds and the bright world that held promises this dungeon didn't.

"Trust me on this," Lafayette warned. "Let's get out of here," he stood at the door waiting for her to follow.

Bast walked slowly. Lafayette stood beside her. She was feeling better. The vampire needed to eat and rest. After a few days untainted blood could cure with the poisoned blood messed up.

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A vase crashed against a wall. Eric stood watching his sister ruin her room. A human had summoned him from his games with his Asian to come to his sister's aid. There wasn't much he could do when she was hell bent on attacking furniture. So he stood watching the mess. He knew he didn't want to be the one picking up all this broken wood. He hated splinters. He was undead, but it didn't make his skin invulnerable to them—and they were just as annoying dead as they were alive.

She broke the canopy on her bed. She stopped to stare at it. She hadn't meant to do it and, but she stood staring at her work.

"You done?" he stated side stepping an overturned chair sitting crooked because the top of it was broken off.

"I hate him," she croaked blood tears falling down her cheek.

"Who?"

"Godric."

Eric's face darkened.

"Don't say things you don't mean," then he softened his tone. He knew how she felt about Russell; by all rights she should like him. Their personalities were bordering the same psychosis, but he would never share it with Pam. They loved strongly and hated even stronger. "His visit upsets me too, but he Godric's guest." He tried to cheer her up, "Besides they always bring so many interesting humans." He tasted a fairy for the first time when Russell presented one as a gift. She didn't last long, Eric recalled, but it was a vampires sport. Godric displeased left when the fun was over and his guests were gone. He thought the fairies death as needless just so they could play in the sun for a few moments of the day. Is that what a life amounts to? To be drained for the folly of animals. The Viking remembered the insult. It was the first time his maker raised his voice at him.

"You know why he's bringing eight of his progenies?"

The question was valid since Eric dwelled on it himself even after the meeting. "That is odd," he noted.

She shook her head wiping away the red tears. "Not if Godric wants to give me the illusion I have a choice in who I marry," she seethed.

"Marry," Eric eye's darkened. "Russell's line?"

"Daddy wants to make nice with the other vampires," she growled throwing a lamp into a mirror in front of her bathroom window. "So we have to make nice too."

Eric put a comforting hand on her shoulder. He felt her shaking mistaking she was crying in earnest now, but she wasn't. She leaned her head back her fangs were out and her pearly were out to play as she laughed. Tears still fell, accompanied by a wide sinister smile, "you ain't heard all the bad news."

Eric frowned what else was there?

"Godric said your negotiation was very delicate. But I suspect you'll be in the same boat I'm in pretty soon. Sinking into the abyss of matrimony," she laughed harder. Eric's face was priceless and she felt helpless to stop the work Godric did for this to come about. It wasn't particularly funny, but she laughed.

"We do our duty."

She expected an ally, not a sheep to Godric's will. His words sobered her up.

"Well fuck, I guess I'm glad I let his little pet toast then," she stated angrily.

Eric raised his brow, "what did you do?"

Pam shrugged wiping her tears away, "she wanted to see fucking fireflies. Then she started on this tangent about the sun. I told her where she could find both," she finished simply as if she had only given her directions to an innocuous destination.

It was dark it had bee for two hours now. Eric realized he hadn't seen Bast since the night before. He gave Pam a look of admonishment. "You need to tell him."

Pam glared at her brother, "he'll find out the old fashioned way when I send Ginger down there to clean up the mess."

Eric visibly cringed when she mentioned the thin blond with strong voice.

"No," he stated. Godric had become attached to her mystery. He would hate to find out Pam's petty games robbed him of it. His maker deserved to know.

"Fine," she groused using a shard of glass on the ground to fix her face. She didn't want there to be any traces she had broken down in despair. Very few people were privy she was capable of tears.

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"How did you sleep?" Godric asked when he found Bast in her room sitting by the fire staring in. She started the fire to stare at the dancing flames.

"I'm hungry," she stated.

On cue a recuperated Lorelei came forward. She moved in front of Godric taking confident steps further in the room. Parallel to the bed post she stopped. Bast smelled her and sped towards her sinking her teeth in her neck harshly, but accurately.

Godric could sense a change in their visitor. She was slowly, but gradually coming back to life, in a manner of speaking. The sounds of her drinking filled the room. Godric watched monitoring the vampire like before. It was good for her to drink regularly. He would provide more blood straight from the source after he saw how capable of a vampire she was.

"Godric I….," Pam trailed off when Bast dropped the girl unceremoniously to the floor, done with her meal.

Eric followed behind. It was his nature to be at his sister's side whenever she had bad news to share. Though, seeing Bast was an unexpected surprise. At least it meant no Ginger screams echoing throughout the hallways.

The blond vampire, like the night before, picked up the girl with no effort. He let her rest in a chair against the wall near the entrance his progenies entered. "I was just coming to search for you," he greeted them, but his eyes were on Eric.

Bast licked her lips.

"You missed a spot," Lafayette pointed out sarcastically.

"Fuck off," she growled.

She looked at the three vampires that fixed on her when she spoke. She paid them little mind and returned to her fire.

"I want you to fight her," Godric explained.

"I'll do it," Pam jumped at the chance to share the wonders of pain, but Godric shook his head for the reason he didn't approach her with this task. Pam would be cruel and overpower her without giving her the fantasy she had a chance. The exercise wasn't meant to break her spirit. He wanted to see it in action and battle more than anything brings it to the surface.

"You can watch, but you will not participate."

Lafayette stood at Bast's back arms crossed and glaring at the three plotting against his cousin. She could feel the blood doing it's magic and hopefully by tomorrow she would be enough of herself to reconsider staying with vampires.

Eric sped forward and the only thing that saved Bast was Lafayette's warning when he saw the vampire's eyes narrow with intent. Bast moved out of the way. Overpowered by speed and strength Bast hadn't discovered what this was yet.

"Good instincts," Godric congratulated.

"It moves fast," Pam observed aloud.

Eric was proud of his speed. He wasn't used to vampires much less ones so young evading him no matter how much warning they had. His hackles rose when he heard Godric compliment her.

"Run," Lafayette warned.

Bast moved again following Lafayette's example. It didn't make sense for her to listen, but when he warned her she responded dodging and moving around until he pointed out an opening. She didn't know what they were trying to do, but in the small space she was running out of places to run. The entrance was blocked off by the vampires that hadn't joined in to attack her. And then instantly she saw the next six moves in her head. She sought out her demon that stood watching. Lafayette was waiting to see how she reacted to the glimpse into the future. He could share his visions with her, break through the haze the poisoned blood had built, and the weary walls of her craziness were crumbling.

"Shit," she breathed when Eric came after her just like she'd seen in her head moments before. Ducking him she rose in a spin landing a kick to his back. She took a poker from the cast iron case to the right of the fireplace. The vision said the fight would have ended in six moves, and she would be picking herself up off the floor. Bast ended it in half the moves with the poker halting the vault she saw would be her end if she hadn't seen it in her head first.

They stood like this for a long time. A younger vampire inferior in every way holding his progeny at bay with a pointy poker meant to sift ashes or push wood. The line of her arm was taut, but Godric saw the control of her movement. She could end him now or long before that when he came after her. She held back just enough to save Eric from speeding to his true death.

"Not fucking now Tara," Lafayette could feel her rage. Every emotion he felt or shared with her had been a hollow mirror of emotions she was capable of feeling more potently.

"When?" the dark skinned vampire heard herself say automatically, answering to the name she hated unconsciously. She had been here before, not with the Viking, with someone she wanted to kill. It was someone whose existence she wanted to end and bring back to life to end it again until she felt better. Someone she feared but her anger wouldn't let her accept the fear or give into it. Someone she couldn't place—not yet.

"Bast," Godric approached carefully.

If his progeny moved he might startle the lost vampire. He wanted them very much alive. The dark skinned woman dropped the poker turning her gaze back to the fire. Leaning one on the mantle she stared at it feeling an urgency to enjoy standing still. She felt a shift in her mind, her body. Everything was tense and coiled to strike and evade in the same way they reacted in a fight, one that loomed foreshadowing a destiny even visions couldn't help her escape.


	4. Chapter 4

Godric expected his progenies and humans to welcome their guests at the front gate. So there they stood three powerful vampires and their fragile counterparts looking at the caravan made up of vampires, humans and their belongings. Pam steeled her gaze when she saw Russell enter first. His hands were gloved, but it was his habit to pull off the right using the same hand to take Pam's hand and kiss it. Releasing his hold after thoroughly disgusting the blond, he greeted the strapping Eric and his shorter, but more powerful maker.

"Godric," he greeted in a deep southern accent hinting to his time overseas in the southern states. Russell threw his arms open as if he were going to hug him, but he didn't. He twirled to admire the manor like he always did as if something had changed, but in reality it hadn't. Russell appreciated a show and he gave it willingly so he could be talked of or about, in any case he was remembered long after he left. "I love the look of the place. Dark," he turned to Godric's pale progenies. "Sexy," he lowered suggestively.

"You must forgive father," a thin man almost as tall as Eric came in, "he can never go anywhere without half of the house with him," he pointed to the luggage being brought in.

Pam glared at the amount of luggage and the extended stay it implied.

"It's quite fine. I like my guests to feel as if they are at home," Godric replied graciously.

Russell titled his head letting his first choice take the lead. "This is my first choice Brandon," he stated. He could understand the distaste of delving into business so quickly. They had all the time in the world, but he still enjoyed living in every embarrassing, cruel, happy, sinister moment.

Brandon rolled his eyes at his abrupt introduction. Like his father he took Pam's hand up gently to his lips and kissed it. "You must forgive him for that too."

"Must I?" Pam returned.

"We will be family soon whether you choose me or one of my siblings. Daddy is non negotiable," his smile was charming. His voice was deep and everything she liked in her men. She could see spending a night with him. An eternity was a whole different story.

"Come come, let them deal with the bags," Russell gathered the others. Their servants were capable, with a diet of vampire blood to keep them sprite and young.

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Brandon Frey (Brand) the lean dark haired knight wounded in battle and reborn as Russell's progeny, he was a charismatic spirit whose chivalry women found endearing. His hair was dark hanging down to his shoulders. And his eyes, when someone dared look close enough, were like dark glowing marbles that hinted a menacing version of the charmer he portrayed.

Cordelia Felt a fit blond that stood at Pam's equal height, her hair was braided. The braid wrapped around her neck like a fair scarf that contrasted with her black corset and dark jeans. She almost died in childbirth an unlikely progeny for Russell, but it was a decision he didn't regret. She had been Talbot's suggestion and Russell's youngest closer to Pam's age.

Parker Joyce a poet, who held women in high esteem until one of them broke his heart. When he was turned he killed the lover, who spurned him, but not before Parker made her watch him eat the man she left him for. He hated love so he more than anyone was opposed to marriage. He hated Pam by reputation. In flesh and blood she didn't change his opinion she was beautiful with a dangerous look. She probably ate men's hearts for breakfast, lunch, and desert he thought to himself. Parker was gift to Talbot, who enjoyed his poems and his artistically dark view on life.

Jamison Stahl, a quick witted vampire that killed without mercy. He was the shortest of the men and with Pam wearing her heels, he was barely eye level to her. He smiled openly undressing her.

Truman Legend a boy, literally, he didn't look any older than twelve. Talbot's favorite companion to dress since the young looking vampire didn't care for fashion. He had an innocent face which was more deadly than one much older and suspicious. Many vampires and humans died under the boy's hand because they didn't sense his evil. Talbot loved that about him.

John Pierce a war hero from the Revolutionary war was an adopted progeny when Russell killed his sire. He proved to be one of the most loyal progenies. Russell adored him and occasionally spent evenings in his bed when he was welcomed in Talbot's.

Miriam and Lucas Donald are redheaded twins with little capacity to love, not much was known about the twins. They were Russell's pets willing and able to do the dirtiest deeds. They were young and obnoxious for their six hundred years, but Russell thought it was cute. They regularly played games with each other, and with others always ending in a blood bath—they were a messy pair.

Pam had encountered the redheaded twins before. They rarely did anything without the other. It was a very codependent relationship that turned the vampire off. They were an attractive bunch, but that was it. She stared at her selection wondering how Russell could have found them remotely worthy to live forever.

Talbot Angelis was Russell's lover, a former Greek prince, with alluring glint in his eyes. Talbot looked Pam over appreciatively, but his opinion on this match was still yet to be concluded. Godric was a very powerful vampire and considered wise in some circles. Talbot was uncertain if it was wise to be connected to a family lead by a hermit. Despite his reservations he stayed silent. Russell was the head reducing Talbot to the lover that warmed his bed. They were Russell's children, but he was as much responsible for their upbringing as the older vampire he liked to think. He took special interest in this blond Russell considered marrying off one of their children to.

"I brought gifts and exotic food," Russell pulled the hand of his lover as he started down the hall to their normal chambers. He trusted that everyone would be on their best behavior without their presence for a while. "Play nice kids," he called back before he and Talbot sped away.

Pam rolled her eyes at the stares they were giving her. Turning abruptly she sped away as well. When she stopped she stood in the stone hallway leading to the dungeons. It was the only place no one expected her to be.

"Shit," she breathed. Her options were a joke. Handsome and attractive ruthless and sinister jokes that Godric wanted to be bound to by marriage—she could not understand her father's logic.

"You could run," she heard a voice.

She turned to the shorter Jamison a thin head of hair on his head. His voice was deep and masculine, but it didn't make up for his effeminate hands.

"Or you could accept your fate as a pawn in large game."

"Thanks for the advice," she bit back the word _stalker_, she promised to be on her best behavior, sort of.

"What do you believe in?" he asked with grave seriousness.

"Personal space," she deadpanned.

"Beautiful, shame about the mouth though. If you choose me I can find better use for it," he promised with a dark smile.

"I'll be sure to keep that mind when I decide," she growled.

Jamison nodded his head, "Dinner's at one, I was sent to tell you." Then he was gone.

Pam hated this shit. The vampire could only imagine, what other forms of morbid courtship awaited her with Russell's brood.

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Truman knew his presence was a joke. His body could never be desirable to any woman no matter how brilliant his mind. He was over four hundred years old. A toy for Russell's lover when he decided to cuddle up to something smaller and act like the 'mother' he thought himself to be. Talbot was a cruel blind bitch good for one thing and Russell made use of that one thing as much as possible. Years with Russell made the former Greek prince lazy and Truman hated laziness. When Truman was a boy, a human boy, he was taking care of four sisters. He couldn't do much for them when fever took them over. When Russell found his family they were dying. Truman was coughing up blood holding the youngest in his arms, refusing to let her die alone and selfishly refused the fate for himself.

He walked the halls rich with history. There were portraits in the lower halls. They were painted with materials popular for each decade. He hadn't taken Godric for the vain type, but the two pretty ones he could understand that they wanted their beauty showcased from every time period.

Pursing his lips Truman listened to the house. Dinner would start soon. He didn't want to go. Though, Russell had given them warning to be on their best behavior. He would try, but Truman made no promises to keep the promise he made.

The twins would have their fun. They weren't worried about the alliance. He didn't know if they were capable of taking anything seriously. Jamison, he saw go after her before he went exploring would be her most avid admirer. He liked women. He liked to crush them and break them and make them less than what they were, killing what attracted him to them in the first place. Pam wouldn't fall for him though. She looked smart enough to run from danger or at the very least attack it back before it was too late.

Truman observed with a keen eye. He knew the candidate she would think the most probable match would be the charming Brandon Frey. He was one of the worst. John was too quiet and reserved; she wouldn't think him charming enough. He wouldn't court her as adamantly as Brandon or Jamison. Cordelia liked the company of women occasionally, but he doubted she had thought of committing to one for life. Russell didn't take much of anyone's opinions to heart. If he had Parker, the brooding poet, wouldn't have been brought against his will.

He felt his master call him, dinner time.

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Bast heard the visitors. Some were loud while others sent a sharp shiver down her spine, when their eyes looked over the paintings and tapestries. On a perch she had claimed in the main hall she watched them admire the manor and find their rooms. Then she smelled her. The smell was familiar. Then she saw a trail of people of different shapes and colors. They were all bound and being led by a thin old man whose fangs came out playfully on a dark haired woman that cried out in pain from the bite.

"Good," he gleamed.

"Fireflies," she whispered. She sniffed bring her head up. If she had a heart it would have fluttered.

"No," Lafayette stood by the blond girl with the lowered head. He glared at Tara, who dropped from the shadows.

"I want it."

"T..Bast," Lafayette got her attention but her eyes were still fixed on the blond.

Bast jumped down to follow the small troupe.

She followed at a safe distance. When they stopped Bast stopped directly behind her hiding herself from their caretakers prying eyes.

"Are you a firefly?" she whispered. The blond head rose slightly then turned.

"Tara?" she whispered her eyes were dead when they looked on the stranger. Then upon realization they became wild with hope. Hope, it had been a long time since she entertained what that word meant. It meant home and being surrounded by the people she loved and loved her back. Too long had she been in Russell's care. A month was long enough for her to wish for death. The other eleven were pure hell, or at least the version of it she never wanted to see again.

The dark skinned woman drew back, there was that name again. First her demon and now her firefly why would they call her by that name?

"Are you a firefly?" the vampire asked again.

The blond glared, "I thought you were dead. They came for us and you were gone…I thought you were dead," she shivered and Tara felt a ripple of fear rush through her, but the emotion didn't belong to her. It belonged to the firefly. "Lafayette, get me the hell out of here," the blond whispered harshly looking around Bast, but never let her gaze land on her.

Bast tilted her head. Why was the firefly afraid?

The blond looked taken aback when she focused on the voices in her head. She focused on Lafayette's voice overriding Tara's. It was strange to listen to two voices from one mind. But, she was grateful to hear the voices she had been thinking for a year were gone.

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Truman played with napkin on the table. He looked up when the food milled in under the care of Chamberlain, an old human they made a vampire and kept because he was a loyal joke. The boy glared and then his eyes found the dark skinned vampire following the food.

Godric eyed Bast nodding her over.

"Who is this?" Russell he gushed over the dark new edition staring at the faces around her blankly.

"She is a mystery Godric's been trying to solve," Eric confessed.

"Mystery," Cordelia's ears perked with intrigue. "What kind of mystery?"

Bast sat in a chair positioned at the center part of the long table. She sat across from Brandon with Truman to her right and John to her left. What an awful place to sit, but Godric had ordered one seat stay absent and that is how Bast came to be sandwiched between Russell's spawn.

John didn't acknowledge her, Truman gave her bored look.

"We like games," Lucas shared with him and his sister Miriam. "She's not that old," Miriam followed behind her brother. They seemed to forget anyone else was in the room and talked about who Bast could be. A rogue vampire, a former dentist, perhaps a stripper from another planet that made her way to earth, and as soon as she landed she was turned.

The room answered the last assumption with a critical silence. The twin, who offered it, cringed from the admonishing look from his father.

Pam drank her blood needing something older and stronger to get through this meal. Not only was the conversation on It, but Jamison was eyeballing her and Brandon was trying to build a whispering rapport. They were a table of fucking vampires. Super whisper all he wanted super ears were going to hear it. Maybe it was better for It to be the center of attention. The conversation wasn't on marriage—one subject she was tired of hearing.

"I like fireflies," Bast stated.

Parker glared at the woman he had surmised was evil by being female. Now he considered her an evil idiot. Determined to ignore her for the rest of the night, no matter how determined his family was to talk about her.

Pam rolled her eyes, "here it goes." Eric smiled briefly at his sister.

"Fireflies?" Talbot repeated his Greek accent strong and seductive as he spoke. He leaned forward sitting on the same side of the table he turned his head to the left to see her.

"I like your firefly," her eyes roamed to the blond, who kept her head down. She looked passed Brandon. Pam who sat beside Brandon looked for an older year of blood she was sure was on the table somewhere.

"Can I have it?" Bast asked the line of her mouth formed into a smile.

Russell stayed silent and intrigued. His palms were clasped as his chin rested on them.

"Maybe she is an alien," Lucas stated.

"What would you give me for it?" Russell asked intrigued. Godric narrowed his eyes at his guest. He didn't know what Russell was playing at.

"What do you want?" her unfocused eyes landed on him with clarity. Lafayette listened for Sookie's cue when Sookie heard Russell's answer she screamed the thought to Lafayette, who had taken control over Tara.

"Bailor's killer."

Truman became intrigued.

"Russell?" Godric caught the feral gleam in his eyes. She was speaking to him, and he understood her, but whatever her words meant to the older stronger vampire wasn't making him happy.

The vampire stood quickly fangs bared, he spoke in his foreign tongue enraged, "I know who you are." He sped towards her slamming her on the table putting all his weight on her throat. Lafayette didn't fight him. He kept Tara's eyes open and her hands face down on the shards of glass the impact of her body crushed.

"Enough," Godric rose slowly and menacing. He didn't know the history between his guest and Russell, but he wouldn't stand for this outrageous behavior, the vampire's age be damned.

Russell looked up then pulled away towering over her prone form. "My apologies for acting abhorrently in your home. But if you understood what it is you have here, you would let kill her slowly and painfully."

"What has she done?" Eric asked calmly rising to his full height staring at the other vampires, who were slightly crouched above their seats. He liked being outnumbered, it made fighting fun. His sister didn't move but he didn't worry. She sat self assured with the miniature arsenal under the table, they always kept for unruly vampires that needed to be put down quickly. The guns were strategically spaced on the end where Godric always sat on the right side of the long table where his progenies sat close.

Russell glared down. This wasn't the time or the place to discuss such personal matters so publically. She was his and that shouldn't be questioned, but this wasn't his home. He looked at his progenies ready to fight if he asked. But, it would ruin the bigger picture. He wanted Pamela Swynford de Beaufort; he glanced at the object of his obsession.

"If she is your guest then I refuse to be," Russell stomped off the table heading to the door.

Lafayette yelled after him, "free the firefly and you can do whatever you want with me you sick fuck."

Russell stopped walking.

A crooked smiled crossed Bast's face, "you me in one room think about how much fun we'll have."

Russell was intrigued shown by the slight turn of his head towards the table. Lafayette guided Tara's body to one knee. "This shit doesn't happen without your word."

The older vampire didn't hesitate, "you have my word. When I have you your firefly will be free," he glared.

Godric didn't like to be left in the dark. Lafayette turned to him, "I don't know you well enough, but you're a better vampire than most from what I've seen. I give you the firefly you promise to keep her safe. A life for the life I spared," she nodded toward Eric. The pale vampire glared from the recent memory of his unexpected defeat.

Godric agreed.

Russell ordered Chamberlain to free the firefly. The old man looked at him blankly. Lafayette using Tara's body jumped off the table picking Sookie's head up in her hand. "Your life is more important than ours," he thought knowing she would hear it. He knew Tara, in her right mind, would agree. Chamberlain freed her from her chains.

Sookie rubbed her raw wrists while Lafayette looked at the expectant Russell. Lafayette took one last look at Godric, who had stepped forward putting himself between Russell's progenies and the girl. Barely turned Sookie grabbed a hold of Tara's head pulling her down causing their lips to meet. It was a spark. No one could see it, but Bast could feel it. It was a glimpse and an open door for the young vampire to walk through when she was ready to accept who she use to be.

Bast released the firefly, having control of her body again. Struck with a calm serenity she would have to cherish for brief moment and keep hidden away when Bast needed it the most.

"Goodbye Tara," Sookie whispered hating to let go, but knowing she must.

Bast didn't understand why her feet were moving toward the evil she wanted to instinctively run from, but she didn't fight it. It seemed right—just like it felt right to be called Tara again.

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I have a confession to make…. There are those of you who might think I'm a natural tease (in part I am). But, it is so hard not to throw everything in one chapter cause I'm so excited for you to read it. I'm having so much fun putting this together…I'm keyed up to share the twists and turns and back story for this fic…ugh…the real world sucks! More pages soon though.


	5. Chapter 5

Pam was annoyed. She loved a little torture and mayhem as much as the next vampire. But this was getting ridiculous. For a full week screams filled the manor. Godric offered his dungeons, but Russell liked the comfort of his room promising to clean up what he messed up. And if furniture was ruined beyond repair he would see to it that it was replaced.

The dungeons were sound proof for this exact reason. She considered it as rude as that one individual who talks on their cell phones sharing details of their conversation as if someone wanted to hear it. However It had wronged him he wanted everyone to know she was paying dearly whether they wanted to know or not.

Screams echoed.

The vampire glared at the stars.

The blond slammed the balcony windows closed. The sitting room was a sanctuary for Godric's family and the young woman Bast made him promise to protect.

"Will he kill it already," she growled.

"Pam," Godric eyed his progeny from his desk.

All eyes turned to the irritated vampire. Two seats turned to the fire were claimed by Eric who sat nearest the door and the petit blond. Sookie shuddered every time she heard the screams. She had been free for a week, but it had done nothing for her color Pam noticed.

"Who doesn't like a little mood music," Pam smiled thinly at the blond eying her with disbelief. "But the mood is dead and gone Godric. And so should It be."

"You're cruel," Sookie breathed unable to sit still.

"I'm a vampire honey it's my right," she answered with a hand on her hip.

Godric leaned back in his chair, "I taught you better than that Pamela."

The vampire glared at the floor respectful enough not to land the insubordinate gaze land on her maker.

"We survive on blood. Humans are walking meat suits no better than cattle." She softened her voice, "I mean no disrespect I'm just putting two and two together."

"I did not teach you that."

"You're asking me to respect a cow what sense does that make" she checked her tone. "I was strong and independent when you made me—but you taught me how to thrive and kill." She met his gaze now. She turned a red blouse hung open showing off the top her breasts and a black striped skirt stopped just above her knees.

"I never said enjoy it."

"How could I not!" she growled. She felt she was being berated for who she was. She couldn't understand why Godric couldn't accept this is what he made.

"Because you are better than the urges you let degrade you," he didn't raise his voice. It was an endearing quality for a master never to belittle his progenies with words or rage. And even when he didn't let his emotions take him over to dictate the volume of his voice, his point was unsettling.

She was hundreds of years old she couldn't see it, the potential to be great, Eric listened and maybe with a few hundred more years he would see what Godric clearly did. They didn't have to be animals. They didn't have to be Gods. They could evolve. It was a great achievement few who lived as long as Godric still hadn't endeavored to attempt. Russell was a shining example.

"Be better than him," he nodded toward the door where the screams penetrated.

Pam followed his gaze. "But if I become better than him wouldn't it make marrying one of his children strange."

"Strange is a perception. Marriage is a necessity."

Outside of the confines of the manor the world had aged into a dark place not necessarily dreary, but distrustful and raggedly cynical. Vampires hunted for sport and the human supply was dwindling into nothingness. Almost sixty years ago their leaders introduced themselves to the world under a banner of peace. Over time fractions branched off from vampires, who felt entitled to be cruel, because they had the power to. It was wise to take a page from the werewolves. Create packs via alliances of marriage. Family wasn't important, but it was the implied loyalty that bound them. Older vampires lived by a code. Russell's blood was one of the oldest and so he proposed this to Russell one month when he disappeared and concern for his family settled in when he realized the undisciplined makers making unruly progenies they were unwilling to teach. It was clear the population increase was a part of someone's master plan. Vampire's needed to prepare and Russell agreed.

"Well I perceive a lot of strange shit," she turned to the blond, "and I think it's about time we're given some answers. After all, our maker is giving you sanctuary. And I've never seen vampires have such a hard on for a human the way they have it for you."

Eric glared at his sister knowing she was including him. He had mentioned an attraction. And for a week he made it his mission to stay by her side taking Godric's place when he couldn't accompany the girl around the manor. She didn't go anywhere however. She didn't explore and when she did venture out it was at the behest of her protector.

Sookie turned to the door of the sitting room. She stared at it as if she could see beyond its mass, to the exact room where Tara was being tortured. Another scream longer than the last, the vampire was in an excruciating amount of pain. She could hear her. She held her head a head ache was coming on. She muted the voice, for now, but curiosity would get the better of her and she would listen again to her thoughts. Her thoughts were so disconnected. Pain gave her clarity she could hear her rage and she sounded like the old Tara. But then she went off on a tangent still fighting the truth about who she was. Sookie rooted for Tara to remember. If she could then they had a better chance to survive.

"If he doesn't kill It I will," she murmured.

Frustrated Sookie stepped toward Pam. She could challenger her, but it would only add to more questions to she didn't want to answer.

"Her name is Tara, not it, Tara. I'd like to see you last as long as she is with that monster."

"My progeny lacks tact, but I share her curiosity. We took Tara in when we didn't know her name. We still don't know who she is, but I will keep my word to her. You are safe here."

Safe, she hadn't felt safe in over a year. She would feel safe for a very long time. In a room full of vampires, no matter how friendly, she couldn't entertain safe. She was probably thought to be dead just like she assumed Tara and Lafayette were. Could they get out of this after they'd been through so much?

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"Why am I here?"

"You promised me fireflies. Tell me where they are."

"I don't….I don't…" she trailed off. The world was upside down. Russell hung her up by her legs. There were cuts along her body where silver burned away every layer skin until blood flowed. It didn't drop freely colliding with other scars and bruises that made the landscape of her skin bumpy.

"You know," he grabbed her by her hair pulling her head to him.

Using his gloved hand he pushed the knife inside a quarter of an inch and then ran it down to her exposed chest.

There was a knock at the door.

"I'm busy," he yelled concentrating on the length of the cut as her yells filled his ear.

"Russell," his Greek lover ground out his name impatiently.

For a week his lover had closed himself off distracted by this new toy. Russell had planned on leaving the night they arrived to deal with her, but Talbot convinced him that his place was there with his daughters and sons to show a united family. Their plan went out the window when this stranger bartered for a slave's life for her own. What value the vampire had he didn't know and he didn't care, his lover was ignoring his duties.

"You have children you are neglecting. A host that probably won't invite us back," for good reason he thought to himself when he noticed the room in disarray. "And a lover that is very very unhappy with your attitude."

"Sweetheart."

Talbot held up his hand stopping Russell's attempt to coax him into seeing his side.

"A week darling. A whole damn week of no attention or affection. She had better be a descendent of the anti Christ himself to get me to forgive you."

Russell pursed his lips. Putting down the silver on a desk full of sharp instruments he never left home without. One never knows when one when torture is necessary. Taking off his gloves he caressed Talbot's face. His mouth was set in an obstinate frown implying affection, after having to ask for it, wouldn't be enough.

"Sweetheart, I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me," he crooned.

Talbot glared at the half conscious vampire hanging upside down. "You think I am a idiot?"

"No."

"Then don't feed me this 'I don't know what came over me bullshit'. You know, but I don't care. You're coming with me now to apologize to Godric for your absence and to Pam for being negligent."

"I will not."

"You will if this Pamela is as important as you say she is to your plans."

Russell turned to his dangling quarry. "Fine," she put his gloves back on and shouldered a decent jacket. There were flecks of blood on his cheek that Talbot wiped off with a hand. He could be better, but this would have to do.

"What would I do without you?" he took Talbot's hand holding it even as the younger vampire resisted.

"Struggle through life with one social misstep after the other," he answered curtly.

Russell leaned in for a kiss and met cheek instead. He smiled all the brighter. "You're beautiful when you're angry."

Talbot didn't answer. He was told by Truman who had volunteered to keep eyes and ears out for Godric's clan that they were currently in Godric's personal sitting room. He inquired about any other useful information, but the young looking vampire reported that the girl had yet to be forthcoming. He stood outside the door with Russell in tow, and Truman right behind them.

The trio entered when the door opened for them. They were a stunning family Godric's clan Talbot enjoyed beautiful things. On that merit alone he would love to be bound to such a family and be involved in the consummation if he were allowed. But, he steered his thoughts to more civil thoughts.

He pushed Russell forward when hi s eyes went to the young blond he traded for the dark vampire's life. Talbot couldn't imagine what would possess a vampire to do such a thing. Then he saw the kiss. Love made sense, but it still bothered him that one so strong would succumb to feminine wiles of a human.

"I wanted to apologize about the noise Godric. She's a screamer, but I don't have to tell you that do I?" he smiled evilly at Sookie.

"Of that detail we are all aware," Godric stated.

Nowhere for the blond to hide she stepped behind the vampire who claimed she was safe with him. Godric was small, but she wouldn't underestimate him. She'd encountered many vampires that were deceptively stronger than their appearance. Sookie trained her gaze to Truman. Glasses sat on his face it was a needless accessory he explained made him nostalgic for the younger years where he wore them just to emulate his dead father. Russell teased him about it.

"Ah….yes…well anyway I look forward to dinner tonight."

"We wouldn't want to pull you away from your fun," Eric threw in sarcastically.

"Yes," Pam glared at her brother, "yes we would."

Russell nodded his head. Talbot met his gaze. "I do apologize Pam. But if you don't mind my saying if you've lost sleep over the screams I dare say I see a hint of missed beauty sleep." He bowed slightly. Taking the arm of his lover he pulled him out into the hallway.

"Good show," Talbot complimented.

"I can be a good boy when I want to be," he stated with an inflection the affection starved Talbot didn't miss. If he were a better vampire he wouldn't give in so easily. Then again, Russell had been good. He deserved a treat.

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"Am I the only one whose skin he makes crawl?" Pam growled as she halfway sat and halfway leaned on her Godric's desk.

"It's his talent. Though, you should let him see it, it'll only make it more interesting for him," Truman shared.

"Thanks for the advice."

Truman closed the double doors. Making himself comfortable on the chair Sookie vacated pouring himself a glass of blood. "I'm full of that you know, advice."

"What's he doing to her?" Sookie found her voice. In a years time she saw Truman do cruel and unspeakable things to people and vampires, who in some way or another deserved it. He was bound by a code he only knew the rules to. She only knew she had never given him reason to become one of his victims. In truth he had been the kindest, in as much way a vampire can be kind, to her.

He opened his mouth to answer and then thought better of it and drank from the glass. Sookie fell to her knees holding the arms of the chair with her hands. She couldn't force him to stay. Though she didn't want him to think he had room to leave. She needed to know even if the truth was terrible. But is he spared her the graphic details. Instead he left his answer vague and to everyone else in the room it didn't seem like enough, but for Sookie it was just enough.

"You know Russell. He's like a child with a new toy in there."

Sookie shuddered. She dropped her fists to her lap. She knew what he might be doing.

"Don't torture yourself with what she is experiencing. You would make better of your time figuring out how to break her free."

The blond head lowered didn't move. Her breathing had changed. And that was all that he needed to solidify his assumptions.

"I'm not—"

"We can hear the pitter patter of the warm human heart," Pam tilted her head. "Besides humans are stupid and going up against Russell for It is as stupid as it comes."

Sookie rose to her feet. A year spent to break her spirit with these monsters she was surprised she could still function. Even more impressive to Truman was the fact that she stood as though she could take Pam. By reputation the young human would do better to sit and stay quiet. But, who was he but a young man in form damned to be the folly of his maker's lover.

"Tara," the blond glared.

Pam stood to her full height hands on her hips determined to be just as stubborn, "It."

"Enough," Godric started. "I'd like to understand why Mr. Legend, would think we need his advice."

"My family are animals. Deadly and mindless beasts who mirror their father like he's a walking God."

"You don't share their opinion," Godric stated.

Truman swallowed, "one of many ways my siblings and I differ."

"He is your maker," Godric pointed out the only detail that made him a questionable ally.

"I'm bound to him by blood, but I'm tired of being Talbot's 'dress me up' Barbie. You Pam are my freedom."

"I'm saving myself for love," she replied dully.

"You'll be waiting an eternity if you think you'll get from any one of my brothers or sisters. What part of mindless didn't you get?"

Pam rolled her eyes. For a week she was pursued in the strange ways she never expected. Russell's clan weren't trying to be sweet. Their gifts were mind fucking her into a distasteful frenzy and she was beginning to think it was every one's intention to drive her insane. Pretty soon she would be murmuring about fireflies and blue unicorns.

Truman's proposition was sincere. He wasn't the ideal husband and he hadn't been her first choice. He made sense. They both wanted to be free of certain aspects of their life. He wouldn't demand anything of her. He didn't want to rule her—as far as she could tell. Though, the little she did know of his reputation kept her aware of every action he made since he arrived. He was almost as boring as Godric and like her he liked to know the activities of people he considered worthy of a second look.

Truman got up from his seat placing his glass beside Pam's bottom on the desk. He got to one knee. Hand in his pocket he pulled out an impressive ring with three identical diamonds on the front. Pam steeled her face, letting her narrowed eyes show the surprise that Sookie had no problem displaying. He diamonds were huge.

"Pamela Swynford De Beaufort," he held her gaze, "will you do me the honor of spending an eternity with me?" He paused, "I think that's how it goes."

Pam shrugged unsure herself.

Truman stood placing the ring in her palm, "think about it." He started to the door and with his hand on the knob, "I'm responsible for my family's records. That includes all true deaths from Russell's line. If what I surmise is correct, then you're friend—if she is as strong as she seems….Russell will kill her slowly. Who knows what she might blurt out? In any case if you plan on being as stupid as I think you will, I hope she's worth it. There are kinder ways to lose your life.

"Thanks for the advice."

He nodded his welcome then left. Pam stared down at the ring and Sookie lost in a trance listened to Tara and Lafayette weakly holding on. She had to do something and quickly.

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Sorry for the wait, will post again tonight.


	6. Chapter 6

In the hall with the door closed Truman could make the shadow. He stepped toward in since it was the direction he was headed to in the first place. When he got closer a smile greeted him.

"Have you been up to no good brother?"

Brandon greeted the smaller vampire as he started down the hall away from Godric's personal chambers.

"Always brother," he stopped while pushing up his glasses out of habit.

"She is beautiful. Even a devout bachelor like yourself can't deny that."

"What's my bachelorhood got to do with admiring beauty?" he continued, "an even better question why are you here?"

"You gave her a ring," Brandon stated.

"And if I did?" he queried. "You've got the looks, the charm, she'll most likely choose you like all women do," the boy vampire shared with derision.

Brandon pushed off the wall he'd been leaning on as he waited. Truman was his superior in many ways. By one year Brandon was older and liked to tease him about it. "Maybe," he shrugged. Pam didn't like to be pursued as prey.

"Find anything about the girl?" he nodded in the direction of the room he just left.

"Yes," he shared smugly. He didn't plan offering more than that.

Brand leaned forward bending until he was eye to eye to his shorter brother, "you can tell me."

"I can," he imitated his brother's lowered voice, "but what would I gain? Maybe we could trade an answer for another answer," he proposed.

The longer vampire stood to his full height annoyed. Truman wouldn't be intimidated or manipulated as easily as their other siblings. Truman was always a bookworm. He was too intelligent for his own good and a body that couldn't match the intellect inside it.

"What do you want to know?"

"Why did you give up your toy so easily? You didn't even blink," Truman queried. She was Russell's present to his favorite childe. Truman admired the human's beauty, but there was more to her. Whatever it was it was incredibly special.

"What father wants, father gets."

"If that isn't the laziest answer I ever heard," Truman smirked. "Not enough to know why she's so special," he taunted.

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"Tara."

Her head jerked to the right then the left, but no matter where she shifted she heard the voice. It wasn't going away and she wanted it gone.

"Tara sweetie," the voice crooned sweetly.

Tara's eyes opened a little.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for fireflies," she whispered. Then she remembered something, "I saw one."

"Where?"

"I saw them everywhere," she smiled her lips busted open.

"Where?" the voice grew angrier becoming impatient with her strange answers.

Her head hung low as a chuckle erupted from her chest. Her head rose and unfocused eyes trailed the desperate lines on Russell's face. "Wouldn't you like to know," the chuckled grew louder.

Russell's fist clenched and he reached for the silver blade sticking it into her chest until it rest there held by the skin and bone it penetrated.

The endearment was meant to get his attention "my love." The Greek shook his head. "Later," he stated coming behind Russell stroking his shoulders, "she's not going anywhere," he assured. The vampire growled his fangs out. "You must eat."

"Eat," Tara whisper, "I'll be here," she hung upside down taunting. Talbot pulled Russell with him knowing it would take very little taunts to lose his lover to the torturous machinations drumming in his head.

With Russell's arm safe in his protection he moved at a quick pace. He thought the distance might help calm his lover. They entered the hall and to his dissatisfaction there were three progenies hadn't arrived yet. The twins and John were noticeably missing. Their absences were unexplained when they took their seats, so it was safe to assume they had found their own entertainment for the evening. They hadn't expected their father to attend, but there would be hell to pay if they thought they could be rebellious. Russell promised that.

"Smells Egyptian," he tasted the wine in front of him.

"It is," Godric confirmed.

"So many fun memories from Egypt," he stated, "I tasted this scrumptious princess. One might say I have a thing for royalty," he smiled knowingly at his lover, a runaway prince from a long time ago.

"May I say Pam you are looking marvelous in that outfit, just marvelous," Talbot offered before he sipped from his glass.

Pam stared with disinterested eyes.

"What do you say Pam?" Godric stared at her pointedly.

Pursing her lips, "thank you."

"So well mannered," Talbot teased. "Don't you think so Brand?"

"I think there's more to her than any of us realize."

Brandon smiled. He had made it a point to always sit beside the blond during dinner. Unfortunately, their former slave took his spot and he was forced to take the seat across from her.

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Lafayette took over Tara's body. He felt her pain, but he pushed passed the discomfort. It was just pain. They'd been through worse, or at least they would if he didn't get them out of there. Sitting up he gritted Tara's teeth. Veins popped out on her forehead the strain. One largely difficult sit up and he reached the silver wire holding her upside down.

Clasping it with her hand he felt the burn. He pulled the wire ignoring the smell of burning flesh. He pulled harder calling on all her strength and his until she landed on her back.

"Fuck," he growled from the prone position.

From Tara's head he told Sookie they were free. They just needed her to stall. He could smell the scent of blood. Turning her body over he made his way to the chest of blood he discovered as Russell's personal stash. Blood he collected over time from vampires and humans. Rising to her knees Lafayette opened the chest Talbot left unlocked before they went to dinner.

Some of them were labeled by blood type and then others had years and names. Lafayette opened as many as he could and greedily drank.

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Russell counted the time on his watch. He hadn't bothered to keep up with the conversation. Talbot would pull him into the present and he nodded and agreed when it was called for.

"I'll be back," Russell stood to leave.

Talbot grabbed his arm, "where are you going?"

His lover glared at him.

"Has she told you what you wanted to hear yet?" Sookie plucked at the chicken on her plate. Her fork scrapped the surface of the plate annoyingly.

Russell looked at Godric first and returned to his seat and studied to the blond. At first glance she was attractive mysterious thing he found. In a den of rebels she didn't look or smell like much, but she cleaned up nicely. She had been mildly toyed with, but he encouraged Brand to assert that she was his—there were very few things he liked to share.

"Is there something for her to tell?"

"You know there is," Sookie stated. "You might as well kill her, because she won't tell you."

Truman looked between his maker and the young woman, who obviously had a reason to address him with a taunt. He looked at the Godric clan, but they looked as intrigued by her display as his family. What was she playing at?

Sookie's worked to keep her heart steady. She knew they were listening and to be found out would alert them to Tara's eventual escape. If they timed it right they could leave. They could vanish and be done with this world to regroup and fight again. To avenge deaths by spilling the blood of the monsters responsible, it lay on her shoulders. But she didn't dwell on the responsibility, just the story.

"I'm considered to be a very persuasive man."

Sookie struck him with a knowing smile.

"What's she going to tell you that you don't already know?"

Russell glowered.

"She killed him. He died. The end."

Russell rose from his chair. The force of it made his chair fly back and it broke on impact. "He was mine. What gave her the right to kill him?"

"I was there you know," Sookie swallowed.

She heard Tara's voice now, it was becoming clearer. Bits and pieces of her life coming into place and Lafayette helped her with the truths harder to face than others. She kept her heartbeat in check. She didn't want to get excited. Excitement would ruin the surprise and it was the only advantage they had.

Sookie continued, "She was right. He hated you."

"Lies."

"He hated everything you stood for," she kept her tone level.

"Lies!" he raved ranting in a foreign language.

Talbot watched her lover spiral. Cordelia glared at the woman while Brandon watched with curious anticipation. Jamison and Parker each stood ready to hold their maker back when he decided to leap and strike. It wouldn't do if they started a war over a woman, Parker thought. Jamison, the faithful son, wouldn't let his maker make a fool of himself in Godric's home. They would need more help to hold him back. Where the hell were the twins? Where was John?

"He loved her though," Sookie continued her voice stronger than the last time. Her heart pounded faster. Her heart's speed could be reasoned away with intimidation. Russell eyes grew darker and his fangs were shining menacingly. "Or do you like hearing stories about fireflies."

"Fuck fireflies!" He was tired of hearing about fireflies. It was a game to entertain a crazed mind, but he was done with listening to them.

Godric stood from his seat.

Jamison watched the older stronger vampire. He wouldn't make a move until Russell did which looked to be soon if he kept letting this human taunt her. "Russell," he ground out trying to get his attention. Russell was too far gone to be reasoned with.

Pam had tensed waiting to see what happened next. She met Eric's gaze.

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Miriam frowned at her brother. He was always a pig. Blood filled his mouth and some it spilled onto his shirt. They had gone hunting earlier that night and found something they thought Talbot would like. She was Asian. They saw how intrigued their maker's lover was with Eric's Asian toy and set out on a quest to find something as equally alluring.

Asia had been a good time for Russell and Talbot.

"Don't drink all of her," she hit him on the head.

He pulled his head back and pulled her along as they headed to Russell's private chambers. They would leave the Asian there as a surprise, "I was just tasting her," he explained lamely. "She tastes great."

"Come on," she sped away. Lucas didn't match her speed preferring a more sedate pace to sample more of the Asian treasure they stole from Wong Bak's Chinese Food register. Her hair was styled in a shoulder length bob. Her hair had an attractive shine and the smell was incredibly delightful. He smelled her and licked feeling her body tremble against his.

"It's ok," he whispered purposefully unconvincing.

He bent down then he stopped. He felt a pain likened to a sharp knife digging into the back of his eye.

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It looked to everyone like Russell was going to leap over the table and attack Sookie. But, he didn't. He looked around disoriented and then he was gone.

Talbot stood nodding for the Jamison and Parker to follow. They arrived only seconds after Russell who was stuck looking at the carnage that was his room. Some of the blood belonged to Tara, but she wasn't hanging from the ceiling anymore. He stepped toward his case where vials of blood were missing. His collection was defiled and there were specific types missing most likely stolen.

Jamison's eyes were glued to the floor, "what the hell happened?"

"How did this happen?" Parker frowned. His eyes went to the spot he remembered the crazy vampire hanging. She was too weak to match or beat vampires stronger and more powerful. She was a mess a wreck, by theory incapable of matching any of them.

"Find her," Russell stepped carelessly in his progeny. "Find her," he repeated loudly. They sped away in an instant. He looked around the room then his eyes landed on his tools. They were all accounted for except for his favorite silver knife.

Shoes stained with blood he made his way back to the dining area to share the news. Talbot wailed when he heard the news. The others were more reserved if they had any grief at all to feel. Russell with Talbot on his should he looked to Godric whose mask of indifference hadn't dropped, but the vampire did give his condolences.

Pam looked found Truman smirking as if he were amused by a joke everyone else was missing. No one else noticed, because Russell's voice rang out for retribution. And Sookie seemed to be the most viable means to get Tara right where he wanted her.

"She is protected," Godric pointed out.

"My progeny is dead."

"And as a vampire of my word I might as well be if I choose to retract."

"Blood for blood Godric. We don't know anything about her. But, that girl, she cares about her. Maybe she's even tasted her. I'm not going to kill her," he turned frightening eyes on Sookie, "just hurt her a little."

"No." Godric would not be moved. But, he knew Russell wouldn't be held at bay for long. He did the next best thing. "I won't give you the girl. But Eric and Pam will help you find her. She won't be going far in her condition."

Russell nodded agreeing to Godric's compromise.

"Fine. But she was able to get into a stash of some very potent blood. She might be a little high and obviously she's dangerous. I wouldn't want your pretty little children running into something they can't handle."

Eric looked to his father then Russell showing his fangs, "let's hunt."


	7. Chapter 7

Crouched in the shadows in the dungeons, Tara was covered in blood. She heard them hunting her. She jerked to the right her face hitting the cool stones and her palm lay flat on the hard surface, to ride the shudders of energy from the blood and images that bombarded her. Biting her lower lip she clenched her eyes closed. The images made very little sense. She tasted her own blood from the force.

She saw people, their faces. They were familiar images, but she could understand why she couldn't name them. She held her head and fell to the ground. Lafayette crouched in front of her. She needed a clear head to see the brief visions of the future. Whatever concoction they'd stolen from Russell's stash proved to be too much for Tara and now she was paying for it.

"Tara."

She heard the voice, but she didn't see the face it belonged to. She saw images of vampires falling and humans' dying something was killing them all. Something they couldn't too stop it was too powerful. Tara was too petrified to move. She shook from fear wide eyes taking the images in as if it were happening now.

"It hurts," she growled, "it's too much," she whined.

He rubbed hand over her wild hair, but she didn't notice it.

"Fuck," she winced.

He heard noises. Standing up he started toward the opening of the dungeon and he saw the unwelcome guests searching for them.

"Get up Tara they're coming,"

The vampire was stuck she couldn't move. Her body was shaking. She looked like she was going through a bad high. Lafayette could only do so much when he was in control. And even when he did it drained him. He would be no use to her.

"Fuck Tara gets up," he coaxed losing his patience.

The blood was a good idea at the time. It gave her enough strength to kill the vampire when she walked in surprising them. Lafayette berated himself. He should have smelled the contents in the vial. Who knows what kind of freaky concoction Russell and his lover liked? Tara took something, it was too powerful—too strong—she was having a bad experience that could possibly end her life.

She shook back and forth mumbling. Those were the sounds that lead John and Jamison to the dark skinned vampire. John took her arm to do as he was told, bring her back to the dinner hall where Russell waited impatiently and Godric with him. Jamison's boots scrapped on the stone surface as he came to his brother's aid.

"Come on, crazy," he whispered in her ear. "Daddy's going to have so much fun with you."

John looked oddly at his brother, but said nothing.

Their hands closed around her arm tightly. Cringing back both the vampires held on tighter. She kept moving and was soon becoming unmanageable. She pulled and kicked and then Jamison losing his patience threw her against the wall. John lost his grip and was pushed away as his brother lost his temper. In the narrow space her back was pressed painfully against the surface of the stone. Her arms came up over her face, but there was little she could do about the blows that came down hard and incessantly by the unforgiving boot.

"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid," Jamison lost it. He braced his weight on the wall she cowered and he kicked her and kept kicking despite John's request to stop.

"Russell wants her alive," he stated emphasizing his maker's name.

But the damage had been done. She didn't feel the pain. Her body had given out on her from the excitement of the attack and the images storming the walls of denial. Lafayette walked behind following the trio. He didn't foresee a favorable ending, but he would do as much as he could to help Tara when it came to facing Russell's wrath.

"She's not so tough," Jamison taunted tugging on her arm, but she didn't respond.

Head bent her, her hair unruly, she look genuinely insane. Her head throbbed, but she focused on one thing at a time. She needed blood. Her head lifted slightly to Jamison's neck then to John's. They wouldn't do. She didn't need vampire's blood she craved something younger and more delicate.

"Where….W..," she tried again, "where are you taking me?"

"To Wonderland Alice," Jamison smiled evilly.

Letting her head fall to the floor again, "will there be fireflies?" she asked weakly.

There were lights positioned on either side of the walls a foot apart in distance. They were illuminated by the warm glow and without looking Tara could feel with they were right beside the lights. Counting the steps it took, her eyes lazily opened.

She brought her body up like she was going to stand, but she fell from not having enough strength. If Jamison hadn't lost his temper maybe they would have checked her. If John hadn't been so eager to show off his prize they would have pat her down to see if she had any weapons. If Russell had thought to share that detail then maybe they would have suspected she still had that long wide silver blade, their maker used to torture her.

Because they didn't Russell felt the sharp pain followed by another. He knew the pain immediately. And in response he threw a chair into a mirror that shattered at his feet and the glass scattered on the floor sliding into a sea of dangerous shards.

Sookie stepped back from the mess. Godric took her arm and led her to sit down in his chair. She read his mind so she knew underneath there as small arsenal. He thought of it offhandedly knowing he wouldn't need to use it. Sookie ran her hand experimentally and she felt the hard of the gun attached to the bottom of the table.

Tara moved with purpose. Blood soaked she turned to the mess she left there. They were deft movements that brought two of Russell's finest to their true death. She moved quickly knowing Russell would be there to knowing exactly where she was. She could use that knowledge to her advantage and wait to kill him. Though, where would be the fun in that? Russell liked games.

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Pam sauntered in with Eric at her back. Godric and Sookie were the only ones left at the table.

"Where's Russell?" she drawled suspiciously.

"He sped off. It seems Jamison and John is no longer with us,"

"Have you met those two?" Pam groused, "They were never with us." She didn't know John well enough to care about his true death. Though, she silently rejoiced that it was just another player off the game of love Godric had forced her into.

Sookie concentrated on Tara calling her to the hall warning her of Russell's arrival.

"Maybe we should have took your advice after all and just killed it," Eric looked at the door with his gun raised waiting for something to barge through it.

Sookie glared.

"Only in a crisis do I make sense," Pam responded sarcastically glaring at the same door.

Talbot turned the corner with Truman and Cordelia on his heels. "It's a madhouse," Talbot strode purposefully to the blond sitting calmly at the table. He didn't like to be deceived.

"John and Jamison met the true death. Russell's has joined the search," Godric explained his absence when Talbot's eyes roamed the room for him.

Truman, the young vampire in appearance, smirked and again it seemed Pam was the only one to notice. For some reason it annoyed the hell out of her.

"Something funny you'd like to share?" she asked.

"I've always watched history from afar. It's exhilarating to be part of it,"

"What are you talking about?"

"She knows what I'm talking about don't you Sookie."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Talbot hit the glass of blood out his hand to get his attention.

This wasn't fun, this wasn't a game, his family was dying and Russell was off blinded by rage and in the dark searching for a ghost. They knew nothing about her, and the only one of them that acted as if he knew anything was withholding information they could use to kill her.

Truman pursed his lips and then went to fill another glass.

Talbot trained his rage on Sookie. Godric brought him to his knees with a well placed hit to his abdomen and held him by the throat. Cordelia, worried, didn't step forward because Pam looking as fashionable and impressive as she had when they arrived tilted her head in challenge.

"She fights dirty," Truman informed making no move to offer either side assistance.

"I invented dirty," Pam replied.

Cordelia stayed where she stood. She inched a blade from her sleeve slowly.

"You would choose a human over your own kind?" Talbot spat. He was afraid feeling the wave of strength coming from the Vampire that had him on his knees. Godric could snap his neck in seconds most likely less.

"I choose my word over your life," he informed calmly.

The blade inched further into Cordelia's hand. "You're a fool," she told Godric. The older vampire was above being taunted by name calling. It was an elementary tactic. But, still Pam didn't like it nor did Eric who had stepped closer with his intimidating height.

"Have you ever had your mouth washed out with a bath of bullets?" Pam raised her gun to the woman's face silencing her instantly.

Pam smiled.

"She is as much threat to you as she is to me and my family," Talbot tried to reason.

Pam glared at the blond haired woman with the long braid clenching her jaw. She dared the other vampire to say something, anything to give her a reason to pull the trigger. Pam couldn't see herself spending eternity fucking with that hair.

"You think you're safe?" Talbot fell to the floor when Godric let him go, "you're not safe. She's on the hunt for all of us because she's fucking insane." He started backwards to the door. He wouldn't stay and die with fools. He had sense enough to run. He nodded to Sookie, "You protect the only leverage we have." Cordelia was trained on any threat to his retreat. With her eyes forward she didn't see the dark skinned vampire striding in the room, nor did she hear stealthy approach. "We should kill that bitch and give her a reason to show herself," Talbot ranted his mouth foamed from rage.

"She's behind you," Eric informed.

Talbot stopped. Tara was inches from his back. Over his shoulder she saw Sookie stand expectantly from her seat. She retrieved a gun from the bottom of the table and held it up as she strode to the Greek vampire with it drawn. It landed on his head.

"You look like shit."

"Shit hookah she feel like shit we gotta get her outta here," Lafayette responded as he looked his cousin over.

She angry, the lost expression replaced by a volume of emotions her composed countenance didn't give away.

"I'm not going anywhere," she stated.

Sookie looked at her sharply, "Tara look at you. Are you listening to yourself?"

"Listen to her," Talbot cringed away from the gun. Though, he couldn't lean far with Tara standing at his back.

The glint of Cordelia's knife caught her eye. Grabbing it from her hand she pulled her arm back until it gave away with a snap. Then the knife with the knife stole from Russell she planted it in Cordelia's heart. The true death came quick. Another coat of blood covered Tara. Pulling a strand of her from her mouth Tara looked at it distastefully before she rubbed her fingers together to get it off.

"You stupid bitch," Pam growled.

Garnering the small group's attention Eric winced when he saw the disaster. Blood splattered on her outfit and in her hair. She stepped toward the vampire halting when Tara spoke surprised by the coherency of the sentence and the hint of flirtation.

"If it's any consolation vampire looks good on you," Tara's hooded eyes and tilted head looked her over approvingly.

"If you're going to escape do it now," Truman shared with a little more urgency.

"I'm not going anywhere," she turned her back to the group. She saw Russell in her head, before it actually happened, and then Talbot rushing toward him.

Like her vision Russell arrived. Talbot started toward him, speeding to a stop when she held her arm out with the large silver blade at his neck.

"Russell," the Greek vampire shuddered.

"Don't be stupid," Talbot's lover warned.

Brandon, Lucas, and Parker joined Russell.

"Tara let's go," she heard Lafayette encourage. In her head she heard Sookie.

"This looks like it could get really messy," she said slowly pushing the knife father into Talbot's neck. Russell's head rose as if he was the one she was holding at knife point. "But I make good on what I promises."

Lafayette stood to her side, "We can live to fight another day."

Her chocolate skin tensed.

"I every fucking thing. Russell deserves to have everything he loves taken away from him," she glared at the vampire.

"No corner on Earth or in hell is going to be safe for you," Russell swore.

"How about you save me Russell instead of promising to avenge my death before I meet it!" Talbot stomped his foot angrily.

Tara's memories began rushing.

"Sookie can you still do that open the portal to another safer fucking dimension thing?" Lafayette asked as he took over Tara's body. Tara began tremble pushing her cousin out of her, "No!" she screamed. Russell step forward and Tara pulled Talbot's hair back covering her and leaving the knife at his throat drawing blood while smoke lifted from the wound.

"Tara," Sookie followed her to the table which she kept to her back.

"Somebody fucking kill somebody," Pam glowered at the stalemate.

"There is a solution," Truman started toward Russell stopping halfway as he pulled out his touch screen phone. "I happened upon this document in my files. " His fingers scrolled down and then stopped. "Ah yes, Bailor Tancourt." He looked up in time to see both Tara and Russell acknowledge the name. "I won't bore you with the legal jargon," he mumbled a few words then began, "it bequeaths all of his estates and possessions to his progeny Tara Thornton. Monies, powers, oh and look bride rights."

Russell glared. "Truman as your maker I—"

Talbot's high pitched scream interrupted the controlling phrase.

"Let him speak," Godric was interested to hear more.

"I don't know what might have given Bailor the impression that someone would one day propose an alliance through marriage. Then again he was rumored to hang around the likes of gypsies—me personally I like to stay away from that type of supernatural gulf. It can get pretty messy knowing things one shouldn't know. But, sometimes it does have its advantages." He stared at Tara pointedly.

Godric knew the name Tancourt. Bailor rarely went by his given name following the habit of many vampires reinventing themselves each decade or century. Tancourt claimed many names which, but his surname remained. Vampires that knew of his existence and his age called him Tancourt, he would not have thought it was the same vampire Tara mentioned at the table earlier in the week.

"You would defy the wishes of your maker?"

There were certain things that wouldn't be tolerated. Truman had made a public spectacle in front of an old vampire many considered wise and honorable. Russell would have to kill the whole family to ensure none of this news got out. In a matter of seconds his family had been cut in half and his family heritage was taken away. He had claimed Bailor's riches when he died and combined with his it was an imposing estate.

"What the fuck is the kid vamp saying?" Lafayette asked Tara.

"He just gave me a birth right I didn't know existed."

"What now?" Parker queried confused.

"Free him," Tara nodded toward Truman. The child vampire looked up from his phone. He stilled the hope inside him. Russell didn't have to. Russell wouldn't Truman knew too much about the family, the history, the financials. His maker wouldn't negotiate.

"Free him," Tara pushed the knife deeper in Talbot's neck.

The words came out in a rush out after a long pause, but the result was the same. Truman was free. He felt like a weight lifted on his undead soul. He rejoiced on the inside, but there was still much to be done.

Tara threw Talbot to the floor. Crawling up from the floor he reached Russell who took him in his arms. The dark vampire waited for retaliation. She wanted Russell to make a move, any move. She would take them all on.

"This isn't over," he growled then sped away with his family in tow.

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"Thank you," Sookie approached Truman.

"You're welcome," he nodded easily.

Pam went to the next question, "what the fuck does bride right mean exactly?"

"It means, if Godric is still inclined to align himself with our family name, there is only one that will ever be allowed to claim you."

Pam's eyes narrowed.

Sookie laughed nervously, "Tara," she laughed again, "marry her?" she pointed to Pam, who looked at excited about the prospect of marriage as Tara.

"Oh shit," Lafayette's voice rang out worriedly.

"I'd use molten silver for a face mask," she pulled vampire out of her cleavage.

Truman stepped back, "I am only the messenger. But I propose that you find yourself a nice quiet place to get to know each other."

"I'm not interested in Russell's leftovers," she glared at the blond. She left the room.

Godric put himself in between the volatile women. Eric moved to Sookie's side.

Truman sighed heavily to illustrate his frustration. He was a loyal vampire when someone earned the work he put into it. Tara freed him from the proverbial chains Russell placed on him as his maker. Now, he had to impart how important it was for Tara to claim Godric's second progeny without telling her too much all at once.

He caught up to her in Russell's room. Tara wanted to make sure they were gone. And they were. The servants and the wolves they brought with him had left. She walked to the door to view the caravan leaving in defeat. They would live to fight another day, but Tara wasn't stupid enough not to be ready.

Truman claimed the empty spot to her right as she pulled the curtain back.

"It would be wise to marry her."

"She a spoiled high maintenance selfish infuriatingly hot vampire. I don't need that kind of shit in my life."

"Think of her more as your destiny. And without her whatever revenge you want, or whatever kind of power you seek you won't get without her."

"I don't want her."

"And she doesn't want you. The best type of marriage is the kind where all cards are on the table."

"How important is she?" Tara's blood stained face looked on Truman. Her eyes were hard and determined.

"Too important to let Russell or any other vampire get their hands on her."

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Part I is over. Part II will be up soon. I'm trying something different creating a small series of specific events that get my favorite true blood couple together.


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